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Brownlow Medallist

We just need better umpires to stop rewarding players who play for free kicks

Don't give free kicks to players who...
1) deliberately knee an opponent in the head and then cartwheel theatrically.
2) duck their head into a tackle, or throw their head back theatrically when tackled below the shoulder
3) make no effort to win the ball, but wait for opponents to take possession and then wrap them up in a tackle with no prior opp
4) dive forwards the moment they are tackled, or the moment they receive contact in a marking contest

If I was the umpires coach, 50% of my weekly reviews & teaching would involve coaching the umps to be more alert about being conned by the free kick artists. They don't scrutinise this aspect of footy as much as they should. The people in charge acknowledge the "difficulty" of the umpires' job (with professional footballers trying to con them throughout a game) but they continue to reward the cheats.

Club Legend

Once again the umps just take it way too next level in thier interpretations
Happened way too many times this year against the Tigers and last night against Lewis was just utter crap, not rewarding the guy playing the ball....

Draftee

However, they both dived on the ball. Besides being potentially dangerous, IMO their actions make for ugly football. They both were killing the flow. Gunston and Burgoyne were both attacking the footy just as hard, but in a more attacking way. Lewis in particular saw Gunston coming, and was motivated to dive to negate him.

If it was my call, I would legislate that you have to be on your feet to take possession. Totally put an end to diving onto the ball. I also think we want to discourage people putting their head at ground level, next to the ball, much like how we want to discourage people ducking into tackles.

Norm Smith Medallist

Right now it is clear that if you don't keep your feet, you are in danger of giving away a free. There may be some long term benefit to the game in that, I don't know.

But it's a tough, at times counter intuitive interpretation.

I still think the best approach would be that if you got hands on the ball BEFORE you touch the other guys legs: OK. If you take their legs out BEFORE touching the ball, then that is a trip against you.

Debutant

Gunston prime example in first semi vs richmond just ran straight ahead when richmond player was down picking up the ball he wasn't even close to him to start with then he just fell over the top of him whistle gunston free what a joke agree the rule needs work the same as when two players are running after the ball in the same direction in the wet and one slides to pick it up and the other guy runs into him should be no free play on the rule needs work alot of work